Machine gun and drum magazine therefor



P 1938. c. A. LARSSON El AL 2,113,793

MACHINE GUN AND DRUM MAGAZINE THEREFOR INVENTORS: CARL ALFRED LARSSON PERCY REUBEN HIGSON m ma e gag ATTOR N 5Y6 April 12, 1938. c. A. LARSSON ET AL 2,113,793

MACHINE GUN AND DRUM MAGAZINE THEREFOR Filed June 24, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 N N @mw mmo Mm a TLH N NDN R -m RB wH M @R LY C ARI CE Y P B April 12,1938. c. A. LARSSON Er AL MACHINE GUN AND DRUM MAGAZINE THEREFOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 24, 1956 1 e f fiff NN 55 65G a RR 6 O m T N N @E R 7O V U T N T v C mm P w Patented Apr. 12, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE GUN AND DRUM MAGAZINE THEREFOR British company Application June 24, 1936, Serial No. 86,970 In Great Britain June 28, 1935 8 Claims. (01. 89-33) This invention relates to machine guns and to drum magazines therefor and an important object is to provide a large capacity drum whilst maintaining the size of the drum as small as practicably possible.

According to the invention the magazine is adapted to receive the cartridges in substantially annular disposition with adjacent cartridges in contact with each other and having means adapted for separating the so-arranged cartridges and feeding them singly through an outlet or mouth-piece. When the cartridges having rims are used, they may be arranged with their rims outermost and with the rim of each cartridge overlapping the rim of the next cartridge on one side of it and beneath the next cartridge at the other side of it, and the drum is made circular and of such diameter that it contacts with the outermost points of the bases of the cartridges arranged in this manner. each cartridge preferably overlaps the rim of the cartridge in front outwardly with respect to the drum and overlaps the rim of the cartridge behind it inwardly and the cartridge cases contact with each other near the bullet. The cartridges in these positions are slightly offset from the radial with respect to the drum and the apeXes of the angles made by the centre'lines of successive pairs of cartridges are at a constant radius from the centre of the drum. With such an arrangement it is not possible for the rim of a following cartridge to get in front of the rim of a leading cartridge which would cause a misfeed on reaching the outlet or mouthpiece of the drum.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect the same will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereint- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a drum magazine made in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is a part elevational view thereof looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view of part of Figure 3 but showing certain parts in different positions; and

Figures 5 and 6 are an elevational and plan view respectively of a movable lip comprising part of the feeding means; and

Figures 7 and 8 are an elevational and plan view respectively of a pawl associated with the movable lip of Figures 5 and 6.

The rim of The magazine has a sleeve A or centre post which fits over the upstanding spigot pin of the machine gun and has recesses a at its upper end comprising ratchet teeth. Surrounding the sleeve A is an outer sleeve or driver B which carries pivotally mounted pawls I) pressed by springs b into engagement with the ratchet teeth a. The outer sleeve B has flat surfaces 11 at its upper end for engagement by a spanner or winding lever so that it can be rotated relatively to the sleeve A for winding up a spring D. The inner end of the spring D is attached to the outer sleeve B and the outer end of the spring D is attached to a rotary member D carrying radial arms D the outer ends of which carry blades D which press against the cartridges E to press them yieldingly towards the outlet indicated generally at F. The cartridges are mounted in outer and inner grooves E and E respectively which are substantially helical, formed in a shallow pan E attached to the inner sleeve A. The grooves E E are continuous and lead down to the outlet or mouthpiece F. A hole E in the side of the drum or pan E facilitates loading the last few cartridges. The pawls b serve as a safety device when winding up the spring and obviate the necessity for the key heretofore provided for locking the driver to the centre post. When the spring has been tensioned by a winding lever, this lever is removed and a small locking plate may be screwed on to the inner sleeve A to lock the pawls in position and to hold down all of the other mechanism in position. Should it be desired to remove the tension of the spring this can be done by removing the locking plate, replacing winding lever, taking the force of the spring on the lever, and then releasing the ratchet pawls and unwinding the spring.

As can be seen in Figure 2, the cartridge cases e are in contact with each other at the position e near the bullets e and each of the bases or rims e overlaps the base or rim of the cartridge in front of it on the outside thereof and overlaps the base or rim of the cartridge behind it on the inside. This arrangement as hereinbefore described is such that the cartridges are slightly offset from the radial rimless cartridges will be arranged in substantially the same disposition. The radius of the drum or pan E is made so as just to accommodate the cartridges arranged in this manner. The arrow 3 indicates the centre line of the machine gun. The machine gun accordingly is constructed so as to support the drum in this offset position. For instance, the

usual upstanding spigot for engagement in the inner sleeve A may be arranged at such a distance from the centre line of the gun that the cartridge E next to be fed into the gun is approximately parallel with the centre line of the gun.

The outlet or mouthpiece F comprises an opening in the bottom of the drum or pan E a fixed lip F on the drum or pan, and a movable lip F mounted on a pivot F carried by a bracket F which also is mounted on the drum or pan. The fixed lip F has an inclined surface f to form a sort of chute for the cartridges and the movable lip F has an oscillating motion on the pivot pin F for separating the cartridges and for preventing the pressure from the spring D from being transmitted to the cartridge at the moment when it is fed into the gun. The pivot pin F is parallel with the cartridge E The movable lip F has a tail piece I between which and the bracket F is a Spring f to actuate the movable lip and has an upper nose F and a lower nose F In the positions shown in Figure 3 the cartridge E is in the recess F and in the position for extraction. The upper edge or nose F prevents the next cartridge E from pressing on the cartridge E so that the movement of the cartridge E which is the next to be fed into the gun is not hindered by the pressure of the cartridges in the drum. The rear of the following cartridge E", however presses on the rim of the cartridge E When the cartridge E is pushed out of the mouthpiece the spring I actuates the movable lip F into the position shown in Figure 4 in which the top edge or nose F clears the next cartridge E". The cartridge E is then forced into the recess F and presses on the nose F to push the movable lip back again into the position of Figure 3 in which this upper edge or nose F holds back the following cartridge. The movable lip thus oscillates on the pin 35 to separate the cartridges, its motion being effected by the spring f in one direction and by the pressure of the cartridges on the nose F in the other direction. A pawl H is rotatably mounted on the same pivot F and assists in bringing the nose of the cartridge down into the desired position and holding it in that position. The pawl H is connected to the lip F by a small pin H fixed to the pawl and protruding into a slightly elongated hole H in the lip so that the pawl can move upwardly in relation to the movable lip a short distance. The pawl is held in its downward position relatively to the lip by a light flat spring H whereby it presses lightly on the front end of the cartridge. The pawl oscillates with the movable lip.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A drum cartridge-magazine, of the type set forth, for machine guns, including a pan-shaped portion limited by an inner and outer Wall, both walls being spaced apart to provide less than one cartridge length of free radial space therebetween and thereby cause the cartridges when placed in said pan to automatically assume a position wherein they are displaced from the radial at an angle such that the intersections of the projected centre lines of successive pairs of cartridges will be spaced a constant radial distance from the centre of the drum, and also cause the cartridge cases to contact with each other at a point near the bullets.

2. In a drum cartridge-magazine for machine guns wherein the cartridges are provided with rims, a pan-shaped portion limited by an inner and outer wall, both walls being spaced apart to provide less than one cartridge length of free radial space therebetween and thereby cause the rims of said cartridges when placed in the pan to automatically overlap each other whereby the cartridge cases are caused to contact with each other at a point near the bullets while the outermost point of the rim of each cartridge contacts with the outer wall of the pan shaped portion and the bullet nose contacts with the inner wall of said portion.

3. In a drum cartridge-magazine for machine guns, a pan-shaped portion limited by an inner and outer wall, said inner wall having peripherally extending grooves formed therein, both walls being spaced apart to provide less than one cartridge length of free radial space therebetween and thereby cause the cartridges when placed in said pan to automatically assume a position wherein they are displaced from the radial at an angle such that the intersections of the projected centre lines of successive pairs of cartridges will be spaced a constant radial distance from the centre of the drum, the outermost point of the base of each cartridge contacting with the outer wall of said pan-shaped portion and the bullet nose being inserted into said grooves and caused to contact with the inner wall of the pan-shaped portion.

4. A drum cartridge-magazine for machine guns, including a pan-shaped portion limited by an inner and outer wall, both walls being spaced apart to provide less than one cartridge length of free radial space therebetween and thereby cause the cartridges when placed in said pan to automatically assume a position wherein they are displaced from the radial at an angle such that the intersections of the projected centre lines of successive pairs of cartridges. will be spaced a constant radial distance from the centre of the drum, the outermost point of the base of the cartridge contacting with the outer wall of said pan-shaped portion and the bullet nose contacting with the inner wall of said portion, in combination with a cartridge outlet opening having a fixed lip and a movable lip disposed on opposite sides of said outlet opening so as to cause the cartridge next to the one being fed to be held back by the movable lip and thereafter cause said movable lip to move to permit feeding of the next cartridge.

5. In a drum-cartridgamagazine wherein the cartridges used are provided with rims, said magazine including in combination a pan-shaped portion limited by an inner and outer wall, both h walls being spaced apart to provide less than one cartridge length of free radial space therebetween and thereby cause the rims of the cartridges in said pan to automatically overlap each other whereby they are displaced from the radial at an angle such that the intersections of the projected centre lines of successive pairs of cartridges will be spaced a constant radial distance from the centre of the drum, the outermost point of the rim contacting with the outer wall of said panshaped portion and the bullet nose contacting with the inner wall of said portion, of a cartridge outlet opening having a fixed lip and a movable lip, a recess formed in said movable lip, said lips being disposed on opposite sides of said outlet opening so as to cause the cartridge next to the one being fed to be held back by the movable lip and thereafter cause said movable lip to move to permit feeding of the next cartridge.

6. In a drum-cartridge-magazine wherein the cartridges used .are provided with rims, said magazine including in combination a pan-shaped portion limited by an inner and outer wall, both walls being spaced apart to provide less than one cartridge length of free radial space therebetween and thereby cause the rims of the cartridges in said pan to automatically overlap each other whereby they are displaced from the radial at an angle such that the intersections of the projected centre lines of successive pairs of cartridges will be spaced a constant radial distance from the centre of the drum, the outermost point of the rim contacting with the outer wall of said pan-shaped portion and the bullet nose contacting with the inner wall of said portion, of a cartridge outlet opening having a fixed lip and a movable lip, a recess. formed in said movable lip, said lips being disposed on opposite sides of said outlet opening so as to cause the cartridge next to the one being fed to be held back by the movable lip and thereafter cause said movable lip to move to permit feeding of the next cartridge, the cartridge next to be fed engaging in the recess in the movable lip so as to prevent the latter from moving over the following cartridge, and a spring actuating said movable lip when the first mentioned cartridge is removed, so as to admit the following cartridge which enters said recess and pushes the lip down again to cause the upper part of the lip to hold back the next cartridge.

7. A drum cartridge-magazine for machine guns, including a pan-shaped portion limited by an inner and outer wall, both walls being spaced apart to provide less than one cartridge length of free radial space therebetween and thereby cause the cartridges when placed in said pan to automatically assume a position wherein they are displaced from the radial at an angle such that the intersections of the projected centre lines of successive pairs of cartridges will be spaced a constant radial distance from the centre of the drum, the outermost point of the base of the cartridge contacting with the outer wall of said pan-shaped portion .and the bullet nose contacting with the inner wall of said portion, in combination with a cartridge'outlet opening having a fixed lip and a movable lip disposed on opposite sides of said outlet opening so as to cause the cartridge next to the one being fed to be held back by the movable lip and thereafter cause said movable lip to move to permit feeding of the next cartridge, a pawl being provided which oscillates with the movable lip and has an additional independent movement in relation to the lip and serves to press on the nose of the cartridge and assist in bringing the nose down to the desired position.

8. A drum cartridge-magazine, of the type set forth, for machine guns, including a pan-shaped portion limited by an inner and outer wall, both walls being spaced apart to provide less than one cartridge length of free radial space therebetween and thereby cause the cartridges when placed in said pan to automatically assume a position wherein they are displaced from the radial at an angle such that the intersections of the projected centre lines of successive pairs of cartridges will be spaced a constant radial distance from the centre of the drum, and also cause the cartridge cases to contact with each other at a point near the bullets, in combination with a cartridge feed mechanism including a fixed lip and a movable lip, forming an outlet opening, a recess formed in said movable lip, said lips being disposed on opposite sides of said outlet opening so as to cause the cartridge next to the one being fed to be held back by the movable lip and thereafter cause said movable lip to move to permit feeding of the next cartridge, and the cartridge next to be fed engages in said recess in the movable lip so as to prevent the latter from moving over the following cartridge, and a spring is included which actuates the movable lip when the first mentioned cartridge is removed, so as to admit the following cartridge which enters the recess and pushes the lip down again to cause the upper part of the lip to hold back the next cartridge, and wherein a pawl is provided which oscillates with the movable lip and has an additional independent movement in relation to the lip and serves to press on the nose of the cartridge and assist in bringing the nose down to the desired position.

CARL ALFRED LARSSON.

PERCY REUBEN HIGSON. 

